X-Factor Investigations (Earth-616)
Decimation Following M-Day, Madrox's newfound wealth from winning a Who Wants to be a Millionaire-style gameshow allowed him to recruit several of his former colleagues of the Paris branch of the now defunct X-Corporation. New members included Siryn, a depowered Rictor, Generation X's Monet and the mysterious, young Layla Miller. Almost immediately the team came into conflict with rival agency Singularity Investigations after they ordered Siryn beaten and left for dead. After meeting with Singularity CEO Damian Tryp, Madrox asked Siryn to find out more about the Decimation from the heroes who might have been involved (by using her modulated voice to make them more suggestible). She learned from Spider-Man that the X-Men (who had denied any involvement), as well as Quicksilver were, in fact, central to the ending of the House of M and the subsequent Decimation. Little was known about Damian Tryp apart from the fact that he ran Singularity Investigations, which was in direct competition with Madrox's X-Factor Investigations and his encounters with Madrox's team. He was also one of the few mutants who kept their superhuman powers after the M-Day, although it was discovered that he might not be a mutant, but a genetic throwback to an earlier time, i.e., a "changeling", a predecessor to mutants who manifest powers at birth. Tryp’s mutation enabled him to live for a very long time, as evidenced by him being alive in the 14th-century Wales. He also was able to move through time in a similar fashion to Quicksilver, which enabled him to bring together himself at three different times. Damian Tryp also seemed to be involved in Jamie Madrox’s past. When Jamie was born, the doctor’s slap caused him to multiply into two identical babies, which was rather shocking to both his parents and the doctor. Professor Charles Xavier, a friend of the Madrox family, suggested that they move to Kansas to raise the boy in privacy with the possibility of the boy to be later taught at Professor X’s school for the gifted youngsters. However, when Madrox was still young, Tryp also made an own offer to look after Jamie, claiming that Jamie was also a "changeling" like him. Jamie's parents, however, refused to give Jamie to Tryp, who proceeded to create a freak tornado that killed Jamie’s parents. The all out conflict between Tryp's Singularity Investigations and X-Factor Investigations began after the youngest version of Tryp badly beat Siryn (after shooting her in the neck with a dart that prevented her from using her powers) and left her for dead. Siryn, as part of her duties for X-Factor Investigations, was investigating the murder of the woman who died in Jack Vaughn’s penthouse under suspicious circumstances. Jack Vaughn (a movie star) claimed that the woman was killed by her sister, Gloria Santiago, who was upset about the relationship (claiming that Jack was “no good” for her sister), and that all he was trying to do was wrestle the gun away from her. The sister thus hired X-Factor Investigations to help her clear her name and bring Jack to justice. Singularity Investigations was representing Jack Vaughn with Tryp, Junior (i.e., the youngest version) as the defense counsel. Siryn and X-Factor Investigations managed to incriminate Vaughn and to thwart SI’s assassination attempt on Rictor. Tryp, Junior was so infuriated by this that he ambushed Siryn and beat her almost to death, leaving her to die in an alley. Madrox and Strong Guy gave Tryp a very public warning as Tryp was jogging in Central Park. They told Tryp that they knew that it was him who hurt Siryn, and while they would not hurt him in broad daylight, he should watch his back. Tryp, Junior and Tryp, Senior made Madrox an offer to join their firm, and Madrox laughed in response. Quicksilver returned to Mutant Town , having gained the ability to restore other mutants' powers from the Terrigen Crystals. X-Factor used this to confront the X-Men with their knowledge of the Decimation. As a result, X-Factor took a public stance in defiance of the Superhuman Registration Act and the X-Men have decided not to interfere with Quicksilver as long as he stayed in Mutant Town. It was exposed that Tryp and his company have been working on a new version of the legacy virus. A former Singularity employee came to X-Factor Investigations and related that Tryp was attempting to restart the Legacy Virus, the plague that killed several mutants, including, briefly, Madrox himself. Strong Guy was sent to drive the man to safety but once they were alone, Strong Guy killed him and called Tryp to report. It was later discovered that Tryp had placed a hypnotic suggestion in Strong Guy’s head to turn him into a sleeper agent. According to the oldest version of Tryp (ancient), all of Singularity Investigations' efforts to create the Legacy Virus had been to prevent a possible future in which X-Factor managed to undo the Decimation, but as a result, humanity was wiped out by the re-powered mutants in a bloody conflict. As such, X-Factor Investigations' new goal was to undo Decimation, but also to prevent the conflict Tryp predicted. Due to one of Madrox's dupes blowing up the SI building, apparently killing Tryp, Junior and Tryp, Senior (i.e., the middle-aged version), only the ancient Tryp (the one who had been alive the longest and has seen the grim future) was still alive. After the destruction of Singularity Investigations, the present form of Damian Tryp (the elder/ancient) revealed to Layla that her very existence had foiled his plans — she was a force of chaos like he was. Tryp also revealed that when he comes into conflict with Layla, terrible events would occur as a result. Following her encounter with Tryp, Layla was genuinely shocked for the first time: the glass of milk she was pouring overflowed, spilling onto the floor. After finding out about the foretold event, each member of the X-Factor Investigations received a session with Doc Samson. Civil War X-Factor Investigations took public stance in defiance of the Superhuman Registration Act, and Madrox had helped Aegis elude S.H.I.E.L.D. authorities. However, Rictor and M were registered by a duplicate of Madrox who was an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. Madrox, Strong Guy, and Wolfsbane were already registered because of their membership in the previous, government-sponsored X-Factor. After Madrox's experience with his S.H.I.E.L.D. dupe, a dupe he had forgotten about, Madrox went on a quest to gather his lost dupes and revealed an ability to absorb himself into dupes. This quest met an end when he found a dupe who had built his own family. Meanwhile Siryn and Monet bounded in France and rescued a child from a riot. X-Factor was then attacked by the X-Cell and almost defeated. The X-Cell's member believed the government to be responsible for their lost powers. All but Marrow and Callisto were re-powered by Quicksilver and Rictor -- a process that resulted in the death of their leader and Abyss, Fatale and Reaper fleeing into the brimstone dimension to fate unknown. When Layla Miller revealed what truly happened to Callisto and Marrow, Rictor used his powers to expel the Terrigen crystals from Quicksilver's body (except for one, which he kept) at the cost of his powers. X-Factor tangled with The Isolationist, a powerful telepath (among other things), who convinced Jamie Madorx, Cyclops , and Beast to organize a "Million Mutant March" political rally on Washington, D.C. to get mutants declared an endangered species by the U.S. government. However, Layla Miller told Madrox that one of Huber's agents had tried to kill her, and it was revealed that Huber's plan was a plot to get all the mutants in one place so they could be destroyed. Huber claimed that all the mutant voices in his head were driving him crazy. He also claimed that he had manipulated and arranged all of X-Factor Investigations problems and adventures. Then he teleported the team to a frozen wasteland. Messiah Complex Madrox, Rictor, and an accompanying Layla Miller were alerted to the Xavier Mansion by Emma Frost after the first mutant birth since M-Day. Madrox and Layla were sent to Forge's headquarters to send two dupes into different alternate realities. Layla jumped in with one of the dupes at the last minute, claiming she had a part to play in their mission. Unfortunately, Forge informed Madrox that there was no way to retrieve Layla and his dupes, who received instructions to kill themselves once they received the information they needed to get reabsorbed into Madrox Prime. Layla and the Madrox-dupe landed in Bishop's future, where they were captured and abused in mutant interment camps. Rictor was instructed to go undercover as a Purifier by pretending to shoot Rahne as she attacked the group's members. He gained information on their artillery before his cover was blown by Anole and the other New X-Men. Rahne later joined the mutant group X-Force to hunt down Cable using their hyper-keen senses. Siryn was called by the mutant named Peepers asking to help him out. When Siryn arrived on the scene, Peepers was eaten to the bone by Predator X who was already on his way looking for the next mutant to kill. Strong Guy, Siryn, and M joined forces with the X-Men against the various groups trying to take control of the mutant baby. Divided We Stand After a confrontation with Jamie about her leaving, Rahne revealed that she had seen herself murder Jamie and Layla Madrox on their wedding night, and not wanting to kill Layla upon her return from the dystopian future, left the team. Meanwhile, Rictor, while walking down a street, thought he saw Layla. After following the young girl, he found a young prostitute who happened to appear around the same age. After some aggressive words with the young woman's pimp, he got into a fight that left him wounded. After Guido joined in the fight, the men quickly dispersed, and he walked with Rictor to the E.R. Elsewhere, Jamie was looking for a fight, and found himself at a Purifier gathering. After shooting their leader with a tranquilizer, Jamie made three copies of himself, and readied for a fight. Siryn revealed to a reverend that she was pregnant with Jamie's child; and later at a bar, revealed to Monet that she intended to give birth to the child. Meanwhile, Mutant Town was under the clutches of X-Men villain Arcade with Rictor as his prisoner, Val Cooper returned and X-Factor relocated to Detroit, Michigan. Secret Invasion Darwin went in search of Professor Xavier because he wanted to help him. He encountered Longshot, who tried to lead him to the Professor by using his powers. Longshot, however was unsure if his powers had been working correctly and tested them out on a group of people who turned on Darwin and attacked. After a brief fight, Darwin managed to get away and the crowd turned on Longshot. Darwin's father hired X-Factor to find his son, supposedly because he felt bad for walking out on him and his mother when he was younger. Madrox, Monet and Guido tracked down Darwin and Longshot but Longshot was attacked by Jazinda and She-Hulk who were trailing after him because he was really Nogor the Talisman, a Skrull priest. After a fight between the two groups, they both realized Longshot was a Skrull impostor, defeat him, hand him over to Jazinda and She-Hulk before parting ways. Cortex and the Summers Rebellion Darwin was reunited with his father, only to be betrayed and sold out to by operatives of an organization known as the Karma Project, who were experimenting on living human beings. Meanwhile, the real Longshot showed up and he and Darwin joined X-Factor. Valerie Cooper took an interest in Siryn's unborn child. During a confrontation when Siryn was leaving for the hospital because her water broke, Val was accidentally shot. While Val recovered, Siryn gave birth and finally acknowledged that her father was dead and never coming back. She named her son Sean, after her father but when Madrox held him, he absorbed Sean. Jamie then left X-Factor Investigations and Detroit to wander and contemplate suicide. Before killing himself, Jamie walked to Vermont to speak with Pastor John Maddox, a dupe who had settled down and started a family. Explaining to John that dupes were unable to have babies, John revealed that he already knew this. However, Jamie threatened to kill himself, knocking out John. Before he pulled the trigger, an older Layla Miller returned to stop him. Jamie was transported to the future in the midst of the Summers Rebellion, where mutants rose up against Sentinel and human oppressors, who were led by Ruby Summers, the daughter of Cyclops and Emma Frost with her fathers' eye beams and Emma's organic mineral body, Layla, and a cyborg Cyclops, whose predicament was Jamie's fault. After Jamie kissed Layla (now an adult) out of happiness at seeing her, Cyclops wanted Jamie to find out why some mutants were winking out off existence. The group visited an aging senile Doctor Doom, who said Layla told him in the past that he'd have to instruct Jamie and her on something in the future, and it is now. In the present, X-Factor and new members Longshot and Darwin battled Cortex, an agent of the Summers Rebellion era government. Cortex briefly controlled Shatterstar and M, using them to respectively make assassination attempts on Reverend John Maddox and Lenore Wilkinson. Cortex grabbed Longshot, trying to also control him, and realized he and Shatterstar were connected, and when Cortex lost control over Monet, she attacked him and his hood fell back revealing that he was the second Jamie Madrox duplicate from Messiah Complex. Regenesis After an encounter with Bloodbath left Madrox temporarily dead, Havok and Polaris took over the team on behalf of Wolverine. After Madrox returned from his death, he and Alex decided that Alex would take the lead on jobs from Valerie Cooper and Wolverine while Madrox would take charge on the rest. Breaking Points After a date with Monet in which he runs off to fight a super-villain, Guido and Monet have a falling out. While on a mission to fight the alternate versions of Dormammu and Captain America, Dormammu captures an innocent woman and threatens to kill her unless Guido backs down. Guido refuses however and Dormammu suddenly explodes and the woman is narrowly saved by Monet. Monet yells at Guido for risking the woman's life and calls him a soulless monster. Guido gets fed up and leaves X-Factor and is immediately recruited by a mysterious figure who reveals he was the one that destroyed the Dormammu. After some soul searching, Rahne decides that she needs to find her son to make up for abandoning him when he was born. The rest of X-Factor help her track him down but they are not the only ones after him. Darwin, spurred on by his meeting with the future version of Rahne's son and mysterious voices in his head is trying to track Rahne's son down to kill him and avert the apocalypse. X-Factor succeed in stopping him and Rahne decides to stay behind with Jack Russel and her son to raise him. While holding a memorial for her parents, Polaris hands a photograph of them to Longshot. Longshot gets a flash from it of the day Polaris' parents died yet refuses to tell Polaris what he saw. Polaris attempts to force him and then forces Monet to create a mind-link between them so she can see. After some coercing, Longshot shares what he saw. Polaris' "father" takes her and her mother up in the sky in an airplane and confronts his wife about her adultery with Magneto. Their argument quickly turns heated which prompts the young Polaris to start crying and yelling at them to stop. When her mother yells at her to shut up, Polaris' powers manifest far too early and she generates a magnetic pulse that destroys the plane and kills her parents. Her real father; Magneto arrives with Mastermind however and tells her that her magnetic pulse alerted him of her presence. He tells her that she is not yet ready for a life with him and that she craves a normal environment to grow up in. He asks Mastermind to use his illusionary powers to re-write Polaris' memories of that day and the crash which Mastermind succeeds in due to the malleable state of the child Polaris' mind. Polaris goes catatonic and Monet reveals that Mastermind's illusion is the reason for her mental instability throughout the years. Siryn begins seeing images of her father talking to her through her mirror. He tells her that the only way to help Polaris is to approach the Banshee she encountered previously. The Banshee asks Siryn to take her place since it is tired and wants to rejoin her father in the afterlife. Siryn agrees in order to help Polaris which she succeeds in. As the new Banshee/Goddess of Death, she leaves X-Factor but promises Jamie to be there when he needs her. | Equipment = | Transportation = * X-Factor Hearse * Shatterstar's Teleportations * X-Factor Hummer (formerly) | Weapons = | Notes = | Trivia = | Links = *[http://www.newsarama.com/SDCC05/Marvel/x-men/xmen_HoM.html Announcement of the new X-Factor series] *[http://www.newsarama.com/forums/printthread.php?threadid=41312 Peter David discussing the new X-Factor series] *[http://www.comics.org/details.lasso?id=215810 Madrox #1] }} Category:X-Factor Category:Detective Agencies